Swivel fitting for a folding sliding wall

ABSTRACT

A folding sliding wall has a wall frame with bottom rail and ceiling rail. Carriages are arranged in at least one of the bottom rail and the ceiling rail. An individual element or several individual elements that are pivotably connected to one another by hinges are provided. The individual element or the several individual elements are arranged in the wall frame so as to be laterally movable therein. Each individual element has an element frame and an element panel arranged in the element frame. A fitting is connected to an end face of the element frame and coupled by a carriage bolt to one of the carriages. A longitudinal axis of the fitting and a longitudinal axis of the carriage bolt are identical.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a folding sliding wall comprised of at least one individual element and/or several individual elements that can be pivotably connected to one another by hinges and are arranged in a wall frame that is comprised of at least one bottom rail and a ceiling rail. The individual element or the connected individual elements can be laterally moved in the wall frame. Each individual element is comprised of an element frame and an element panel arranged in the element frame, wherein the element frames of the individual elements are coupled by fittings to carriages in the bottom rail and/or the ceiling rail. The fitting for receiving the bolt is attached to the end face of the element frame.

2. Description of the Related Art

The term folding sliding wall refers to embodiments such as horizontal sliding walls, sliding turning elements and sliding elements in regard to the individual elements slidable relative to one another or to the vertical frame; this list is not meant to be limiting.

Such folding sliding walls are known in various configurations for numerous purposes. For example, in one embodiment, a sunroom is provided with a folding sliding door and its individual elements are comprised of a wooden and/or aluminum element frame with inserted windowpane as the element panel. Another configuration is a folding sliding wall designed for dividing a large room into two smaller rooms. For this purpose, a wooden panel or gypsum board panel is used, for example, to fill the element frame of an individual element in order to prevent that one can see through the folding sliding wall.

German patent 40 38 669 C2 discloses a folding sliding wall that can be opened and comprises several element frames, optionally provided with windowpanes, that are pivotably connected by hinges to one another or are connected to one another by other fittings at their vertically extending abutting locations (with the exception of the abutting location that forms the free end of the door).

German patent application 198 21 870 A1 discloses a folding sliding wall made of glass and having a ceiling rail and a bottom rail as well as a number of slidable and/or pivotable sections that are guided by means of rollers in the rails and supported slidably and/or pivotably in one of the rails. The sections are comprised of glass panes or other transparent panes that are arranged in wooden or metal profiled section frames.

In the known configurations the support of the individual elements is realized by means of carriages that are arranged in the bottom rail. For this purpose, the carriage preferably is provided with a bore on the vertical center axis into which a bolt is inserted that is connected to a fitting. Such a prior art fitting engages from above or below a hinge that is projecting from the element frame. The known fitting is of a C-shaped configuration and forms an extension of the hinges for inserting a continuous securing pin. One end of the C-shaped fitting is provided with a receptacle that can receive the bolt arranged in the carriage. This receptacle is designed similar to the shape of a quarter circle, for example.

The C-shaped known fitting is fastened to the hinges that are connected by a non-positive (force-locked) connection to the carriages in the bottom rail and the ceiling rail. For this purpose, inter alia, extra long securing pins are required that account for the entire length of the C-shaped fitting. Since the C-shaped fitting is mounted externally on the frame, i.e., is arranged on the visible side, the usual symmetric overall appearance changes. Moreover, as a result of the aforementioned shaping (the receptacle) of the end of the fitting, the seal at the end faces of the element frame is interrupted so that at this location air, water, smoke etc. can penetrate into the room, respectively. The known configuration of the fitting is moreover large and heavy because the weight of the individual elements is distributed through the projecting hinges into the C-shaped fitting and from there through the bolt into the carriage. The weight therefore provides in this configuration a moment that must also be taken into consideration.

Also, it is known from an unpublished application to attach a fitting for receiving a bolt coupled to the carriage to the end face of the element frame of the individual element. The advantage of this configuration is that the weight or a part of the weight of an individual elements is transmitted in the same plane onto the carriage(s). The bolt is attached to a projection of the fitting. This projection projects into the frame of the adjacent individual element. The required space must be milled out of the profiled section of the frame. By providing such a receiving space for the projection, the sealing action is weakened in this area or these areas. An undesirable cold bridge is formed, for example, in the case of a folding sliding wall of a sunroom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to improve the fitting of the aforementioned kind in such a way that the aforementioned disadvantages are avoided, the quantity of material is reduced, and mounting is simplified.

In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that the longitudinal axis of the fitting and the longitudinal axis of the bolt are identical.

It has been recognized by the applicant that, when the center axis of the bolt and the center axis of the fitting are identical, a continuous seal is maintained and the end face of the oppositely arranged element frame must not be changed when the fitting is attached to the end face of the element frame. In this way, it is achieved that the bolt is centrally arranged between two individual elements. The end face of the oppositely arranged individual element must not be changed in any way.

By providing a configuration such that the fitting is divided in regard to its height and is configured as a hinge, the individual element can swivel out of the axis of the carriage(s). In this way, a third swivel plane is generated that makes it possible that the individual element or the individual elements, connected by hinges, can be pivoted out of the frame while occupying only little space. By means of the first swivel plane, i.e., the hinge acting external to the element frame; the second swivel plane that is located at the center of the element frame and the bolt in the carriage; as well as the third swivel plane provided by the divided and pivotable fitting, the individual element can be rotated about the three spaced apart bolts/hinges. With such a configuration, the individual elements can be mounted by a single person because the weight of the individual elements does not generate any moments in different directions as a result of the configuration of the present invention.

The fitting is configured in a preferred embodiment as a cast part. A configuration as a die-cut bent part is possible also.

By means of a slide or a similar device, the swivel action of the fitting according to the invention can be blocked after mounting. When the folding sliding wall must be removed or when the bottom rail or ceiling rail must be completely free, the third swivel plane can be utilized.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a folding sliding wall with three individual elements and a wall frame showing the folding sliding wall in a partially open position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of a bottom rail with carriage and a fitting according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a section view of the folding sliding wall in the closed position showing a top view of the fitting;

FIG. 4 is a section view of the folding sliding wall showing a top view of the fitting in a configuration according to FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section view (section line V-V shown in FIG. 2) of the fitting according to the invention with the folding sliding wall in the closed position; and

FIG. 6 is a section view (section line VI-VI shown in FIG. 2) of the fitting according to the invention with the folding sliding wall in the closed position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1 a folding sliding wall 1 is illustrated that is comprised of three individual elements 2, 3, 4. The folding sliding wall 1 is surrounded by a wall frame 5 which is comprised of a bottom rail 6, a ceiling rail 7, a left post 8 and a right post 9. The individual elements 2, 3, 4 are pivotably connected to one another by hinges (not illustrated in FIG. 1). For opening the folding sliding wall 1, the individual elements 2, 3, 4 connected to one another hy hinges are fastened in the area of their vertical ends 11, 15 to carriages (not illustrated in FIG. 1) in the bottom rail 6 and the ceiling rail 7. Of the end faces 10-14, the end faces 12, 13, and 14 can move freely within the room.

The arrangement and attachment of the fitting 16 according to the invention on the individual element 3 is illustrated in FIG. 2. A carriage 17 is arranged movably within the bottom rail 6. The individual elements 3, 4 are, for example, pivotably connected to one another by hinge 18. The attachment of the fitting 16 to the element frame is realized, for example, by screws. The fitting 16 is of a two-part configuration, wherein the top fitting part 19 and bottom fitting part 20 are pivotably connected to one another by a pivot bolt 21. The configuration is such that the bottom part 20 can be pivoted outwardly.

In FIG. 3 a section illustration of the cross-section of the individual elements 3, 4 is shown; the element frame is, for example, made of wooden profiled sections that are preferably of a symmetrical cross-section. A configuration of aluminum profiled sections or a combination of wood and aluminum is possible also. In the closed state of the folding sliding wall 1, the facing sides 22, 23 of the individual elements 3, 4 are provided in the corner areas or edge areas with sealing strips 24; in the area of the hinge 18 the sealing strips 24 are interrupted or, for example, are arranged displaced toward the center of the sides 22, 23. The attachment of the hinges 18 and of the fittings 16 is realized, for example, by screw connections; however, a clamping connection is also possible.

The fitting 16 configured according to the invention 16 provides that the longitudinal axis 28 of the carriage bolt 26 connected to the carriage 17 is in the center plane 27 of the folding sliding wall 1 or of the individual elements 3, 4 (se FIG. 4). The side 22 of the individual element 4 does not require any additional machining.

The divided configuration of the fitting 16 comprised of a top fitting part 19 and a bottom fitting part 20 is illustrated in FIG. 2. The first swivel plane 30 extends through the longitudinal axis 29 of the hinge 18 (FIG. 4), the third swivel plane 31 extends through the longitudinal axis 32 of the pivot bolt 21 of the fitting 16, and the second swivel plane 27 corresponds to center plane 27 of the individual elements 3, 4 (see FIG. 4) and extends through the carriage bolt 26 connected to the fitting 16 and to the carriage 17. The second swivel plane 27 is of a two-part configuration when the folding sliding wall 1 is in the open position.

As illustrated, the individual elements 3, 4 can be swivelled independently about all three longitudinal axes 25 (of the fitting 16), 29 (of the hinge 18), and 32 (of the pivotable fitting parts 19, 20).

In FIGS. 5 and 6 the closed state of the folding sliding wall 1 is shown in the area of the divided fitting 16.

FIG. 5 shows the top fitting part 19 attached to the end face of the individual element 4. As a result of the special configuration of the fitting 16, the sealing strips 24 and their at least one hollow chamber can be extend across the entire height without any interruption.

FIG. 6 shows the bottom fitting part 20 with carriage bolt 26 coupled to the carriage (not illustrated in FIG. 6). The top fitting part 19 is swivel-connected by means of pivot bolt 21 to the bottom fitting part 20.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. 

1. A folding sliding wall comprising: a wall frame comprising at least one bottom rail and at least one ceiling rail; carriages arranged in at least one of the at least one bottom rail and the at least one ceiling rail; an individual element or several of the individual elements that are pivotably connected to one another by hinges, wherein the individual element or the several individual elements are arranged in the wall frame so as to be laterally movable within the wall frame; wherein each individual element is comprised of an element frame and an element panel arranged in the element frame; wherein a fitting is connected to an end face of the element frame and coupled by a carriage bolt to one of the carriages; wherein a longitudinal axis of the fitting and the longitudinal axis of the carriage bolt are identical.
 2. The folding sliding wall according to claim 1, wherein the fitting is screwed onto the element frame.
 3. The folding sliding wall according to claim 1, wherein the fitting is clamped to the element frame.
 4. The folding sliding wall according to claim 1, wherein the carriage bolt is a monolithic part of the fitting.
 5. The folding sliding wall according to claim 1, wherein the fitting has two fitting parts.
 6. The folding sliding wall according to claim 1, wherein the fitting comprises a top fitting part, a bottom fitting part, and a pivot bolt that connects the top and bottom fitting parts to one another so that the top and bottom fitting parts are pivotable relative to one another.
 7. The folding sliding wall according to claim 1, wherein the fitting is a cast part or a die-cut bent part. 